File suspension means



Aug. 18, 1970 w, DEAN 3,524,688

FILE SUSPENSION MEANS I Filed March 14, 1968 FIG.1

mvsmon. Jesse W. Dean ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,524,688 FILE SUSPENSION MEANS Jesse W. Dean, 3878 Cannon Place, Bronx, N.Y'. 10463 Filed Mar. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 713,239 Int. Cl. A47f 63/00; 1342f 17/00; B47f 15/00 U.S. Cl. 312-184 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Suspension means for filing sheet members such as file folders, stencils, documents and the like for slidable 1 engagement with track means in the form of rails or the like mounted in file drawers, cabinet drawers or other compartments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION To facilitate the filing of papers, stencils and other sheet materials; the material to be filed has been provided with combined suspension and sliding means in the form of members hooked or notched at the opposite ends thereof for slidable engagement with rods or rails disposed within file drawers for that purpose.

Such known suspension means takes the form of metal strips which are fixedly or otherwise secured to the top edges of the folder, stencil or the like. The suspension means is preassembled and atached to the folder which is sold as a unit assembly. The assembly sells at a price which is usually a large multiple of the sale price of conventional, non-suspension type folders.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide improved file suspension means of simple and inexpensive construction which is readily and quickly attached to conventional file folders, stencils or the like of varying sizes and dimensions, by the user.

Another object of this invention is to provide a file suspension system based on conventional file folders, stencils or the like, which are prepared in a simple manner for association with improved suspension means, either before or after sale of the folders, etc.; the combined cost of the folder and the suspension means being only slightly more then the cost of the conventional folder alone.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a file suspension system of the character described, wherein the folder, or the like is prepared for association with improved uspension means, by prepunching the folders with a series of perforations for receiving the suspension means in anchored relation thereto; or alternatively providing a simple template for use by the purchaser to prepare the folder with perforations for receiving the suspension means.

Still a further object of this invention, is to provide improved suspension means formed from inexpensive wire stock and having a construction cooperative with a pattern of perforations formed in the file folder to mount and anchor the same on the folder.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a file suspension system of the character described, wherein the purchaser can readily manipulate the suspension means to mount the same on folders simply prepared to receive such suspension means; the assembly of folder and suspension means being extremely economical as to manufacturing costs and salable at prices markedly less than that of conventional suspension type folders.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing a combination "ice file folder and suspension means embodying the invention, with parts cut away;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the suspension means;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view showing the reverse side of one corner of the folder-suspension means assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI- MENT OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the instant invention, file folders,

1 stencils or other sheetlike members which are to be filed; are further adapted to be suspended in suitable track means such as parallel rails or the like; the track means being fixedly or removably mounted in file drawers or other filing compartments, thus permitting the filed material to be slidably moved along the track means as well as being suspended therefrom.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 designates a file folder comprising the usual rectangular wall portions 11, 12 hinged together along their bottom edges as at 13. Folder 10 is formed of conventional manila or other stock of suitable gauge and stiffness; the wall portion 11 having side edges 14, 15 and a top edge 16, while wall portion 12 has side edges 17, 18 and a top edge 19 with the usual tab T upstanding therefrom.

Folder 10, which is of conventional form and varying in size, as required by thec ontent thereof, is adapted to be converted to a form which allows such folder to be suspended from a conventional track structure including parallel rails indicated at R. It is understood that such track structure is suitably mounted within the usual file drawer or file compartment, not shown.

To this end, novel suspension means is provided for mounting in opposite corner portions of walls 11, 12. Such suspension means, generally indicated at 20 takes the form of a bent wire member 21 formed of wire of suitable gauge and stiifness.

As shown in FIG. 2, wire member 21 is preformed to provide a hook portion 22 and a second hook portion 23 coplanar with hook portion 22 and reversely related thereto. Hook portion 22 comprises a short leg 24, a long leg 25 and a bight portion 26 connecting legs 24 and 25. Hook portion 23 comprises a leg 27 terminating in a laterally offset short portion 28, a bight portion 29 which connects leg 27 with leg 25, making leg 25 common to hook portions 22, 23.

Folder walls 11, 12 are prepared to have suspension members 21 mounted thereon and in anchored relation thereto. To this end, Walls 11, 12 may be preperforated to form a pattern of spaced perforations 30, 31 and 32 in each of the corner portions 33 of walls 11, 12; said corner portions 33 being defined by edges 14, 16; 15, 16; 17, 19 and 18, tab T.

Perforations 30, 31 are disposed in vertically aligned relation and adjacent the side edges 14, 15; 17, 18 of wall portions 11, 12. Perforation 32 is located at a point intermediate perforations 30, 31 and is somewhat closer to side edges 14, 15; 17, 18, then perforations 30, 31.

Suspension members 21 lend themselves to ready manual manipulation to mount the same in corner portions 33 of walls 11, 12 by way of the sets of perforations 30-32. Thus, the offset portion 28 of member 21 is inserted in perforation 32 on the inner surface 11A of wall 11 to bring leg 27 adjacent the outer surface 11B of wall 11. The member 21 is then further manipulated to bring terminal portion 28 through perforation 30, now locating leg 27 adjacent inner surface 11A of wall 11.

The member 21 is then turned to locate bight 29 in perforation 30, with common leg 25 extending upwardly and at an angle to locate leg 24 and bight 26 outwardly of edges 14, 15. The mounting of members 21 is then completed by constricting leg 27 toward common leg 25 to allow terminal portion 28 to be snapped into perforation 31 under tension, thus rigidify-member 21 in relation to wall 11.

With one portion 25A of leg 25 disposed in contact with inner surface 11A of wall 11 and another portion 25B of leg 25 in contact with the outer surface 11B of wall 11, and terminal portion 28 also in contact with outer surface 11B of wall 11; the members 21 are mounted and anchored securely in corner portions of wall 11. Suspending members 21 are similarly mounted in the corner portions 33 of wall 12, locating the successive leg portions 25A, 25B of leg 25 in contact with surfaces 12A, 12B of wall 12.

It will be apparent that with selected location of the sets of perforations 30-32 and proper angular relations of the leg portions forming members 21; bight portions 26 thereof will project outwardly of the side edges of walls 11, 12 to straddle and slidably engage rails R. The perforation patterns may be varied to suit variations in the details of the suspension members 21.

While the walls 11, 12 of folders may be preperforated to form the perforations 30-32, in which case, the user of such folders need only mount suspension members 21 therein; alternatively, the purchaser of the suspension members 21 may be provided with templates setting forth the perforation pattern, in which case, the user can purchase conventional unperforated folders and perforate the same using the template.

With proper spacing of the perforations 30-32 relative to the side edges 14, 15; 17, 19 of walls 11, 12, the suspension members 21 will hold firmly and will not tear away from said walls 11, 12 despite rough usage of the files 10 in sliding the same on rails R. However, it is understood that the walls 11, 12 may be reinforced at perforations 30-32 as by thickening the wall portions at said perforations, using eyelets, and the like.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a member to be suspended and slidably mounted on track means, and suspending means; said member comprising a thin fiat wall portion formed with at least a pair of adjacent perforations, said suspending means comprising a fiat member having successive linear portions lying in a common plane, one of said linear portions having a portion thereof projecting from a side edge of said fiat wall portion for slidably engaging said track means, another of said linear portions extending through said perforations with successive portions thereof respectively disposed on opposite -sides of said fiat Wall portion for anchoring interengagement with said flat wall portion.

2. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said flat member comprises a bent wire member having a hooked portion at one end thereof for engaging said track means and a second hooked portion passing through said perforations.

3. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said suspended member comprises a pair of opposed rectangular wall portions hinged together along the bottom edges thereof, at least one perforation being formed in each of the opposite corner portions of said hinged Wall portions, and suspending means independently mounted in each of said corner portions through the perforations thereof.

4. The combination as in claim 3 wherein said fiat wall portion is formed with a pair of spaced perforations located adjacent a side edge of each of said corner portions and a third perforation located adjacent said pair of perforations, said suspending means including a portion passing through said pair of perforations to dispose successive portions thereof on opposite-sides of said wall portion, said suspending means further including a terminal portion extending through said third perforation.

5. The combination as in claim 2 wherein said first and second hooked portions have a common leg extending through said pair of perforations.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,839,203 6/1958 Becker 2ll-18 X 2,839,203 6/1958 Becker 21ll84 CASMIR A. NUNB'ERG, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 312-330 5 g 

